Hotel La Mirande

This hotel is rather a mixed bag. We stayed 3 nights. The good The building is stunning and it is like staying in a stately home. The position is superb under the walls of the Palais de Papes. Breakfast was excellent and we had a good dinner in the bistro The bad Some of the staff on reception and in the bar/ afternoon tea areas were haughty - they appeared to be focussed on the dignity and glory of the establishment and totally disinterested in the people that paid their wages. The reception when we arrived was brusque and unfriendly until we were handed over to the lovely man who took us to our room. Our room was not what you expect at this price - the toilet was small, the bedroom was the darkest hotel room we have ever had and worst of all the hot water gave up completely for 10-15 minutes when I was trying to have a shower.

Our room was beautifully appointed and tastefully furnished, offering a luxurious and comfortable retreat. The location couldn’t be better—right in the center of town and just steps from the Pope’s Palace. It was incredibly easy to walk everywhere and explore the charm of Avignon on foot. Breakfast was a highlight each morning, with a delicious selection that exceeded expectations. The staff were exceptionally friendly, accommodating, and efficient, making our stay seamless and enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone seeking elegance, convenience, and warm hospitality in Avignon.

We stayed at La Mirande for the 1st 2 nights of our stay in France. The property is very elegant and the terrace is lovely. The location is very walkable to the town. The staff was very warm and welcoming. It was very difficult getting to the property. The roads are narrow, filled with pedestrians and there are blockades. It was very stressful and confusing the 3 times we came and left from the property. Hashid (sp?) was very helpful as far as helping people get their cars to the property and very helpful getting our luggage up and down the stairs. Where this property fell short for us was our room. I understand it is a historic property but the faucets were difficult to operate, the drains were slow and the water in the shower was never hot. There are stains around the toilet and this is the darkest hotel room I’ve ever been in. I’m not even sure how the cleaning lady is able to clean in the bathrooms because it is that dark. We were in room 42. My husband saw some postcards in the lobby picturing all of the rooms and ours was by far the darkest. I’m sad to give this property 3 stars because everyone was so nice and helpful and we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Chef’s table there but they really need to make some subtle improvements to the rooms while maintaining the historic charm of the property.

Major Problems: 1. We were locked out of the hotel for 20 -30 minutes at 11:30 pm. - Arrived before 11:30a and rang the buzzer (we could hear it ringing inside) - Perhaps they’re in the restroom - we waited a few minutes, we rang and knocked again. - We waited longer, “double rang” the buzzer, longer and harder. We knock louder, loud enough I felt rude! - We peeked through the curtains at the front desk - no one. - Perhaps they forgot to tell us about another entrance: walk around to the left, walk back around to the right. Knocked and rang again. - After trying all that, we made an intentional phone call - from my call history, 7 minutes in total no answer… - Finally desperate and considering other options my wife knocked on the outside reception window itself by the font desk, and the attendant popped up. This is dangerous and unacceptable. And when we spoke to the reception on staff at the time she made every effort to blame us, it’s why I outline the story, so management knows we “properly rang the bell”… and knocked, multiple times. And called! Trip Advisor doesn’t allow me to upload the screenshot of the phone call. 2. The internet is incredibly slow - thankfully I wasn’t trying to work, if I was it’d have been an impossibility, still general searching was frustratingly slow. Minor Issues: I normally wouldn’t include any one of these on their own, they’re silly little things, but in total and in combination with being locked out - and it being a 5 star hotel - they’re included. More than half the outlets in the room didn’t work. The toilet didn’t flush properly. The sink drain was fully plugged which we had to disassemble to correct. We asked for a steamer and an adapter and just got the adapter. They forgot to replenish our water the 2nd night. Room service walked in on us in bed. The bed was two twins not a king. The train pickup driver was rude and unfriendly. We booked a wine tour through the hotel, which repeatedly confirmed a 9:00 start by email. It actually began at 9:30. The hotel blamed us stating the tour guide arranged with us directly, but since the hotel managed our booking, they should have communicated any changes and reset our expectations. Checkout was slow and poorly handled. We were in a hurry for our train, reception was unfamiliar with processing room charges “my colleague hasn’t shown me”, I had to explain what, how much, and why I should be paying… and then she proceeded to blame me for payment issues(“you pressed the red button”) instead of owning the problem(no paper). The lack of accountability and efficiency made for a very frustrating experience. And I’m realizing now that the credit wasn’t applied to charges. 3 separate instances of lack of accountability I think is what got me the most. The good: It’s really a shame because the hotel, garden and decor is stunningly beautiful, reminded me of The Grand Budapest Hotel. The location is perfect, the breakfast was excellent, we ate at the Michelin restaurant on site which was lovely.

La Mirande is pure magic! You truly feel like you’ve been transported in time, in the best way possible. The staff was impeccable. Should out to the receptionist Louise that literally took my partner to the pharmacy and to get our car since it was after hours for valet. The entire hotel was absolutely spotless, even though it’s been around since the 16th century. The breakfast buffet spread was spectacular. There was not a moment while there that my partner and I did not feel special. We cannot wait to get the opportunity to go back.